Rep. Joel Kitchens is blaming politics for potentially delaying the implementation of his Act 20 law that aims to improve the state's reading scores. Also known as the Right to Read Act, the law changes how public and private schools teach reading by focusing on the science-based method, which hopes to improve the state’s reading scores that have dipped in recent years. In February, State Superintendent Jill Underly requested that lawmakers change the deadline for implementing some of the changes being brought on by Act 20 because of fears that schools were not ready to start administering universal screening tests on the state’s youngest learners that will identify their early reading skills. Now, Governor Tony Evers is suing the Wisconsin Legislature for not releasing the $50 million in funds needed to address not just the literacy law but also money to address PFAS contamination and rural hospital closures. Republicans are pointing the finger back at the Democratic governor, saying that the $125 million in PFAS funding needs more direction after he vetoed their plans for the money. Kitchens says the impasse hopefully will not take long, but he feels it is all political.

Kitchens hopes to see the money released to school districts so they can continue buying curriculum and training teachers on the new methods.